Fire-escape



(N/o Model.)

EVS-wx W. ULRICH".

PIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Apr. 17, 1883.

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WILLIAM ULRICH, OF ROCK FALLS, ILLINOIS.

FI RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 275,962, dated April17, 1883,

Application filed January 2, 1883.

(No model.)

lzen of the United States, residing at Bock Falls, in the county ot`Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire-Escapes and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and

exact description ot' the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures ot'reference marked thereon, which form a part ot' this specification.

My invention relates to that class of tire-escapes which are portableand light, and in its operation moves with the operator on a chain,cable, or other suitable device.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention, with one ofthe side plates removed. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a verticalelevation of my' invention through the line a: a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is adetail View.

A A are two plates, of any desired material and thickness, and may beround or square,

provided at their center with a round hole, inv

which the axle b ofthe wheelD is journaled, and between which all themechanism hereinafter described is placed, and boxed in by the iron rimor plate C.

B is a cog-wheel, keyed to the axle b, at one end thereof and connectedtherewith, extending nearly to the opposite end of the axle b, and alsokeyed to said axle b is the drum D, having at each of its outer edgesthe flanges d cl.

Between the cog-wheel B and the rim G is a pinion, E, on an axle, b',jourualed into the sides A A, as is the axle b, and which meshes intothe wheel B.

At a point almost directly opposite the pinion E, and between the wheelB and rim G, I place the roller F, which revolves on a bolt, Z, passingthrough the sides A and such roller. This roller is provided at or nearits ends with the iiangesfj'.

Around the drum D is coiled the carrying chain or rope H, which passesalso once around the roller F and through the hole f/ in the rim C, andto one end of which rope H is atxed the hook h.

Between the pinion E andthe plate A nearest thereto I cut into the axleb a V-shapedincision or groove, t', extending clear around such axle.Near one side of the axle b', and attached to the plate A by means of arivet, c, are a pair ofjaws, J J, operatingloosely ou the rivet c, andpassing around and clamping the axle b in the V-shaped groove z'therein, the inner surface of such jaws J J being shaped to coliform tothe groove i. The ends of the jaws J J opposite to their point ofattachment to the plate A are extended an inch or more, and arefurnished at or near their loose ends with the holesjj, such hole in theinner jaw J being threaded with a right-hand thread, and the holein theouter jaw J being threaded -with a left-hand thread.

In the rim C, and in a line with the holes j j', is a hole, 7i', inwhich is seated the thumbscrew L, which passes through the holes j j',and by means of which the tension-jaws J J are forced into or releasedfrom the groovein the axle b', thereby acting as a friction-brake onsuch axle, said thumb-screw being provided with a right and left handthread to coliform to the like threads in the holes jj.

On the rim C, immediately under the head of the thumb-screw L, I providea graduated circle, O,a cipher on which represents a weight ot'twenty-five pounds, which I find is the weight necessary to overcome thefriction of the rope H on the drum I) and roller F, and from such ciphersaid circle O is graduated up to three hundred or more at intervalsrepresenting live pounds each. Attached to the shank ot the thumb-screw,on the outside of the rim (l, is the indicator o, which, when alltension is thrown oft' from the axle b, rest-s over the eipher on thegraduated circle. The object ot' this graduated circle and indicator isobvious. The person using my invention, knowing approximately his ownweight, can, by the use of such scale and indicator, set the jaws J Jint-o the V-shaped groove in the axle b to such a degree of tension asthat he may descend at any desired rate of speed or check his descent atany desired point.

0n one ofthe plates, A, is fastened in any suitable manner the iron loopM, through which is passed the strap N, by means of which the wholedevice may be buckled around the waist of the person desiring to use it.When so fastened to the person the hook h is attached to a window-sillor any other xture Acapable of supporting the weight oi' a person,

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the thumb-screw L is tightened so as to produce such an amount offriction as will be readily overcome by the weight of the personoperating my device, and such operator can descend in safety, when thehook may beloosened and the rope recoiled around the drum D by means ofa crank applied to the squared end of' the axle b, and my invention isagain ready for use.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-Y 1. In a tire-escape and combined with plates A Aand rim C, thejaws J J and axle b', having V-shaped grooves, whereby thevelocity of the axle can be regulated, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

2. The wheel B, drum D, axle I), sldes A, pinion E, axle b', jaws J,thumb-screw L, and

roller F, in combination, whereby the uncoilzo screw L, graduated circleO, and indicator o, 2 5

all arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

y WILLIAM ULRICH.'

Witnesses:

GEO. B. QUIGLEY, V. S. FERGUSON.

